Door latch



Dec. 5, 1933. E. w. REYNOLDS 1,937,845

DOORLATCH Filed Aug. 3, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED sTArss PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a latch designed more especially for use in Connection with screen doors although it can be used advantageously withother kinds of swinging doors. g i i It is an object of the invention to provide a :novel form of latch which can be thrown into door-retaining position by the closingaction of the door, it being possible readily to actuate the latch from door. I I

I A further object is to provide a latch which, when. actuated. by the operator, will impart a either side of the door to release the thrust or kicking action against the door to partly open it. l i A further object isto provide a latch which is simple and compact in construction and can be -installed readily;

. ment of parts and in the details of construction n I. i

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceedsflthe invention resides in thecombination and arrangehereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made withmodification.

v out lever 5 fulcrumed at 6 within housing 1 and.

Figure 6 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 7 is a side elevation.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, D designates a portion of a door and J 'designates a portion of the jambproviding a stop therefor. Ametal housing 1 is set into the jamb so as to open toward the door D andthis housing has a face plate 2 joined to one end and adapted to be fastened upon the jamb as shown in Figure 2. A slot 3 is provided in the face plate and is coextensive with the transverse area of the space within the housing 1.

A recess 4 is provided in the jamb back of the housing 1 and in communication with theinterior thereof and this recess provides a seat for a kickhaving a finger '7 extending forwardly within the housing and through slot 3. closed it fits against the lever 5.

A spindle 8 is mounted for rotation in a bore 9 jamb J and extends through face plate 2 ata point beneath housing 1. Arm 1!] extends radially from outer end of this spindle and has a ter-' minal fingcnpiece 11 adapted to be supportedin' front of the door D while closed so as to hold the door against swinging movement.

The core 9 is intersected by a recess 12 opening through the jamb and in this recess there is mounted anarm 13 secured to spindle 8 and adapted to rote herewith. A pull chain 14 or the like is attached *to this arm and extends from the jamb at a point where it can be reached conveniently. In the structure illustrated it is supported in a wear plate 15 and has a terminal When door D is ring 16. i The weight of rm 10 serves to hold arm 13 normally pressed upwardly against the wall of'recess 12 so that said arm is is thus normally supported in front of th door as shown. i of preventingundesirable wear on the door, wear plates ll can be attached to opposite sides thereof for contacting with lever 5 and arm 10 respectively. i i Q When it is desired to open the door from inside the operator pulls on the member 14 and this causes 13 to rotate spindle 8 and swing arm 10 upwardly out of the path of door D. As the arm becomes disengaged from the door it strikes against finger 7 and thrusts it laterally, for example, to the position shown by broken lines in Figure 1. This causes lever 5 to thrust against the door D and push it away from its closed 'position. It also brings arm 10 past its center of gravity where it will be supported against finger 7 as shown by broken lines in Figure 2. The door can then be fully opened and when the door is shut it will strike against lever 5 and thrust it backwardly. This will cause finger '7 to throw the arm .10 past its center of gravity so that it will drop in front of the door and secure it. Obviously the door can also be released by moving the arm 10 upwardly and laterally by thrusting on the fingerpiece 11. The arm 13 is preferably pivotally connected to the spindle so that it can be inserted therewith into the bore 9 and recess 12. If desiredthe pressure of ring 16 against plate 15 can be utilized for supporting arm 10 horizontally.

Instead of operating the spindle by means of a pull device, said spindle 18 can be made as shown in Figure t with a door-retaining arm 19 at one end. and an operating arm 20 detachably connected to its other end. In all other respects this modified form, which has been illustrated in Figure 4, corresponds with the structure heretofore described.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 has been shown a slightly modified structure which does not necessitate cutting the jamb to an objectionable extent. In this form a bore 21 is formed in the jamb J and opens into an angular slot 22 in the jamb communicating with a slot 23 is the facing or finishing strip F of the door frame. A small casing 24 is seated in the slots and has a face plate 25 formed with a slot 26 opening into the casing. The back portion of the housing opens through the jamo as shown at 2'7 and has extended cars 28 with openings 29.

A kick-out lever 30 is fulcrumed at 31 in housing 24 and has a finger piece 32 at its projecting end. A finger 33 projects from lever 30 adjacent to its fulcrum and extends through and works within the slot 26. This finger projects loosely through a bail 34 on a latch arm or finger 35 which extends from a spindle 36. The spindle is rotatable in bore 21 and is retained by a washer 3'7 between plate 25 and a pin or key 38 in the spindle.

Arm or finger 35 has a terminal finger piece 39 normally in front of door D so as to fasten the door in closed position. Bail 34 and finger 33 cooperate to support the latch arm or finger 35.

By pressing upwardly on finger piece 39 or by pressing finger piece 32 toward the door, the latch arm or finger 35 will be raised past its dead center as shown by broken lines in Figure 6, thereby releasing the door. When the door is shut it will strike lever 30 and actuate it to drop the arm finger 35 into door-retaining position. A hole 40 can be formed in lever 30 to receive a pin 41 on a chain 42 or the like. This pin will also enter the holes 29 and lock the lever against movement. Thus the door can be securely locked from the inside.

What is claimed is:

1.- A door latch including a housing and open at one side and its ends, a faceplate on one end of the housing, a door-engaging lever fulcrumed in the housing and movable within one end and the open side, a finger movable with the lever within and beyond the other open end of the housing, a spindle rotatable in the face plate below the housing, a door-retaining arm carried by the spindle and movable across the face plate against the finger and past its dead center to shift the lever and finger and to bring the arm to rest past its dead center, means for rotating the spindle and a working connection between the arm and finger for lifting the arm from the path of a door when the projecting end of the lever is moved toward the door.

2. A door latch including a lever, a finger movable therewith, a spindle, an arm on the spindle adapted to be supported by the finger past its dead center in an upstanding position, a working connection between the arm and finger, and means for rotating the spindle to bring the arm to said upstanding position, said lever constituting means for engagement by a door when closed to actuate the finger and thrust the arm past its dead center into the path of the door, and said lever also constituting means, when moved toward the door, for lifting through said connection upon the arm to release the door, and means for fastening the lever against movement.

3. A door latch including a lever, a finger movable therewith, a spindle mounted for rotation, an arm on the spindle adapted to be supported by the finger past its dead center in an upstanding position, a connection between the arm and finger, and means for rotating the spindle to lower the arm and pull through the connection upon the finger, thereby to shift the lever, said finger and connection being in constant interfitting positions.

4. A door latch including a movable member, a door-retaining element, means constantly connecting said member and element for transmitting motion therebetween, and a lever adapted to be moved in one direction by a closing door thereby to shift said member and connection to move the element past a dead center into door-retaining position, said lever, when moved manually in the opposite direction constituting means for actuating said member and connecting means to move said element past its dead center to release the door and for thrusting against the door to open it.

EDWARD WILSON REYNOLDS. 

